Four houses for a 2007 armagnac
Four bottles, four family stories and as many ways of ageing. Here is what each house publishes about its 2007 vintage, in its own words when it gives any, and nothing more.
Dartigalongue, gold medal
Founded in Nogaro in 1838 and still in the same family, Dartigalongue works ugni blanc for its fruit, baco for its structure and folle blanche for its floral elegance. According to the house, its 2007, at 42% ABV, opens on delicate aromas of candied fruit, prune, vanilla and oriental spices. The palate, very full and of fine length, suggests yellow fruit and caramel, before a very long, woody and spicy finish. This vintage won a gold medal at the Concours Général Agricole de Paris 2024.
Château de Bordeneuve, brut de fût at 47% ABV
Owners of the estate since 1974, the Guasch family distils in Castelnau d'Auzan on an almost hundred-year-old column armagnac still. Each harvest ages separately, in the darkness of the cellar, then is bottled at its natural strength. The Château de Bordeneuve 2007, from ugni blanc and baco, is 47% ABV. The house describes a fine amber colour with mahogany highlights, an intense and fragrant nose, fruity and slightly exotic, of candied citrus, dried fruit and vanilla, a fine, delicate, very balanced palate, and a dried fruit finish.
Delord, the Lannepax tradition
In 1893, Prosper Delord travelled from farm to farm around Lannepax with his mobile still. His great-grandsons, Jérôme and Sylvain, now run Armagnac Delord, which still distils on old armagnac stills, including a model from 1900. The 2007 is a pure vintage, with no blending of other years, aged in Gascon oak casks and brought down to 40% ABV, like the whole Delord range. The house does not publish a tasting note for this year: we do not invent one.
Clés des Ducs, Exception bottle
The history of Clés des Ducs begins in 1774 in Panjas, in the Gers. Its 2007 is the brandy of a single harvest year, never blended with others. The cellar master selects his casks to obtain a long, rich and smooth armagnac, with deliberately light oak. It is presented in a 70 cl Exception bottle in a cardboard gift box, at 40% ABV.
Comparing the four 2007s
- The most powerful: Château de Bordeneuve, brut de fût at 47% ABV, from ugni blanc and baco;
- The most decorated: Dartigalongue, 42% ABV, gold at the Concours Général Agricole 2024;
- The softest: Delord and Clés des Ducs, both at 40% ABV;
- The easiest to give: Clés des Ducs, delivered in a cardboard gift box.
To explore the brut de fût style further, browse our brut de fût armagnacs from other years.
2007: the year of the iPhone
On 9 January 2007, Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone in San Francisco (source: Wikipedia, article "iPhone"). In France, Nicolas Sarkozy was elected President of the Republic on 6 May 2007 (source: Wikipedia, article "Élection présidentielle française de 2007"). In the Gers, the autumn harvest was vinified and then distilled when winter came. None of the producers in our selection publishes an assessment of the 2007 harvest, so we do not describe it.
What is a vintage armagnac?
Armagnac is a brandy made from white wine, born in Gascony. It comes from grape varieties such as ugni blanc, baco, folle blanche and colombard, grown in the three terroirs of the appellation: Bas-Armagnac, Ténarèze and Haut-Armagnac. The wine is distilled continuously, in a single pass, in the armagnac still, then ageing begins in oak casks, in the cellar. This is where the brandy acquires its colour, its aromatic range and its roundness.
The vintage indicates the year of harvest. A 2007 armagnac therefore contains only wine from 2007, whereas a VSOP, an XO or a hors d'âge blends brandies of different ages. Once in the bottle, armagnac no longer ages: the label gives the year of birth, not necessarily the time spent in wood.
How to choose a 2007 armagnac
It all depends on what you are looking for. If you like soft, round spirits, choose a 2007 reduced to 40% ABV, such as Delord or Clés des Ducs. If you want more character, the Dartigalongue at 42% ABV offers more aromatic depth. If you like intensity, the Bordeneuve brut de fût will give you time to discover a complex armagnac, little by little. A gift? The Clés des Ducs box is ready to give.
Tasting a 19 year old armagnac
At 19 years old, an armagnac keeps a lovely freshness of fruit, while having taken on notes of vanilla, caramel and spice from the cask. The descriptions of our 2007s confirm it: candied fruit, citrus, yellow fruit, prune, mellow wood. To taste it, choose a tulip glass and serve it at room temperature. First look at the colour, leave it in the air for a few minutes, then taste in small sips. At the end of a meal, it goes well with dark chocolate or a dried fruit dessert; the 40% ABV versions also lend themselves to a cocktail.
Store the bottle upright, away from light and heat. Unopened, it no longer changes; once opened, it remains pleasant for several months.
A gift for a 19th birthday
In 2026, children born in 2007 celebrate their 19th birthday, and couples married that year their 19th wedding anniversary. A bottle of 2007 has spent those years in the cask, at the same pace as them. To open on the day of the celebration, or to keep for later: it will not change any more.
Frequently asked questions about 2007 armagnac
What is the best 2007 armagnac?
The best is the one that suits your taste. A concrete benchmark: the Dartigalongue 2007 won a gold medal at the Concours Général Agricole de Paris 2024.
What grape varieties are used in 2007 armagnac?
Ugni blanc and baco for Château de Bordeneuve. The other houses do not specify the grape varieties of their 2007.
How much does a 2007 armagnac cost?
It varies according to the house, the strength and the presentation. Each product page shows the price.
Where can I buy a 2007 armagnac?
At Plaisirs de Gascogne, an online shop dedicated to vintage armagnacs, which selects its bottles from the houses of the South West, with secure payment.
One year earlier or later? See our 2006 armagnac and our 2008 armagnac, or all our vintage armagnacs, year by year.
Please enjoy responsibly. Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to health.
